Amy's Journal: Comments Welcome!

[lovinaz]

Hope everything went well with your stepdad's surgery and you are enjoying your visit with your aunt!

 

[toystoryduo]

Hi Amy~

How are you doing today? Been thinking about you and keeping your family in my thoughts and prayers. How did the surgery go?

Take good care of you!

 

[Amy&Dan]

Thanks Julie, Amy and Tracy. These past few days have been so incredibly hectic and stressful. The surgery itself went okay except his heart started beating irregularly. So they put him in the cardiac unit and are running all kinds of tests. Its still out of whack, kind of nerve wracking with someone 81 years old. Naturally this is freaking my mother out! She just can't handle anything out of the ordinary so its like having a two year old under foot. My sister has been wonderful and staying with her but she's moving her to my house tonight. Dan's aunt is here, she's also lost around 30 pounds so we are trying to both be good with food. No easy task since we've been eating out all the time. Did great until Chinese food last night, what a diet disaster! Its the 5th and I have not logged in one minute of exercise, I literally have not had time. And my treadmill is in the basement where Eileen is sleeping so that complicates things as well. But today come whatever, I am exercising. I have been drinking my water as well. Matthew and Maria's confirmation is tomorrow but Grandpa won't be there so they are so sad as is he. We are still going to try to make it a happy day and he might get released in the afternoon so we could move the lunch to dinner and he could at least be a part of that. Thanks for reading. I don't have a daily count of what I've been eating but other than the Chinese, it hasn't been too bad.

I'll try to catch up with all of your journals later this weekend, I hope all is well with you, have a great weekend!

 

[lovinaz]

Don't worry about the exercising, you will catch up when your company leaves and your step dad is home and doing better.

That's great that you are doing well with your food. I sure helps that your aunt has also lost weight so you have a "diet buddy" around!

Maybe you can video the confirmation so Grandpa can at least feel like he didn't miss out on the ceremony.

You are doing great with all that is going on, keep it up!

 

[Amy&Dan]

Thanks Amy, we did take pictures of Confirmation so at least he'll have those to look at. I did manage to get in 45 minutes on the treadmill yesterday so that was good. Food is still okay. Not perfect but not falling off the wagon altogether either. I'm not tracking my points because I don't have time! Today, we are having some trays I ordered from the local Sams, cake and some chips/veggies and dips. Hopefully I can make good choices, but that cakes looks very tasty! Right now Dan and my mom are picking up my dad at the hospital and bringing him here. My mom was here last night, my sister needed to go home (must be nice to get to resume life when you are ready, lucky her and she isn't coming today because she's "sick"). We had to make a trip back to her condo after we were almost home because she forgot things. I couldn't get mad at her, she can't help it but it was really frustrating! Luckily I took it out on treadmill. Trying to get my water in today and avoid the cokes I bought for my nephew (who is also not bothering to show up) and kids. So not exactly the big "day" I had planned for my kids but I am thankful at least Grandpa will get here eventually. I am mostly just sad for my stepdad, Matt and Maria are the only two of his 9 grandkids who are involved in church. Since he's a minister thats been sort of sad for him and he has been so excited for this day for years. And he missed it. He called to wish them well just before we left home with a heavy heart. I told him he'll be here for the food at least! Thanks for reading, I am really hoping to get to journals tonight or tomorrow. Sorry for the rant but it was time spent away from all that food downstairs at least!

 

[lovinaz]

I'm sure your stepdad knows he was in everyone's thoughts and that he was there in spirit. At least he gets to celebrate the occasion! I hope you were able to avoid the cake. Sometimes a little piece turns into a big disaster and it's better to stay away completely!

Great job taking out your frustrations on the treadmill. That's it's job!!

 

[Amy&Dan]

Thanks Amy. I did so so with food on Sunday. We had too much of it laying around and that cake was an issue with me. Luckily I had one medium sized piece Sunday and one very small piece with the icing removed tonight. Today's food was pretty good. I had a lowfat chicken salad sandwich and grapes for a late breakfast. A chicken caesar salad at the zoo with the dressing on the side for lunch and a 93% lean hamburger on a bun for dinner with 8 tator tots, some sliced tomato, fresh veggies with lowfat ranch, and one half cup ice cream with a small piece of cake for dinner. I did have some Doritos before dinner. The good news is that I walked around the zoo today for four and half hours. I am counting 120 minutes for exercise since there was some stop and go and we took about a 30 minute lunch break. My husband's aunt and I had talked about taking the kids to a movie but I suggested the zoo, it wasn't hot today and I wanted to do something more active. So I am now at 165/900 for exercise which feels pretty good. She leaves tomorrow and my brother and his wife and kids arrive Wednesday. Out of town company is so wonderful but really makes eating and being healthy tough! But I am hanging in there. Thanks for reading, still need to get to everyone else's journals!

P.S. Drank 90 oz. of water and 40 oz. of caffeine free herbal iced tea today

 

[SunFloridaDisney]

Amy, you're doing a great job, with all the activities you've had going on, and company, it's really hard to stick with your plan but you're making it work! And the zoo was a great idea. I used to love to go there and get all that walking in when my kids were younger.

Sorry about the confirmation, but maybe it will be a memory for the kids in the future anyway. I know my oldest daughter made 1st communion when her grandpa was in the hospital, and she still remembers, not the fact that he wasn't there, but that he called her and that it was very special to him. He's been gone several years now, and it is a good memory for her.

 

[toystoryduo]

Hi Amy~

You sound like you have been busy, but you're still getting your exercise in and watching what you eat. That is great, Amy! Keep up the good work!

I hope you have a great week!

By the way.... How many days till your cruisin?

 

[lovinaz]

Wow, way to go choosing the zoo over the movies! And your eating doesn't look all that bad. You were able to enjoy some cake without going overboard anad that's what it's all about!

You are kicking butt on your exercise challenge. I bet you are so excited about your upcoming cruise. I am so jealous!!!!

 

[Amy&Dan]

Thanks everyone. The last two days have really been a struggle with food. I must say, having back to back company is a great way to see all my family but it really wreaks havoc with my eating and exericse schedule! I spent most of yesterday over cleaning my mom's. Her frig was so nasty, I need to do that more often. I literally found moldy hair growing in a jar of queso! Totally disgusting. Now today I am cleaning my own house, spent most of the morning out grocery shopping and running errands and filling out about 20 forms for ds' middle school check in process thats tomorrow. I feel like an insane woman! I am counting 30 minutes for cleaning and and another 30 that I did on the treadmill earlier today. Today's food (get ready this is bad):
Breakfast: Kashi with skim
Lunch: 1 1/2 cups fat free ice cream
About 1/4 a bag (as in mulitple serving size bag) of "natural" Cheetos. Needless to say I am hungry and thirsty since I have nothing but crap all day (except for my Kashi). Having all this damn junk food in my house for my family is really hard to resist. Add to that pms and stress and you have a diet disaster. Oh, well, I am drinking my water and doing my best. And I am going to have something healthy for dinner, maybe a salad. Definitely not Cheetos, I think I have reached my limit on those for at least the next decade. Thanks for reading!

 

[toystoryduo]

Hi Amy~

I know what you mean about family and food.... They're synonymous (sp?) aren't they? Whenever we get together with family, it's food, food, and more food.

Amy, you sound so ready for your vacation! I know that you and your family are going to have a wonderful time!

I'm sending prayers and your way, WISH sis! I'll be PM-ing you soon!

Edited to Add.... I tried to send you a PM, but it says your PM box is full.....

 

[lovinaz]

Mmmm, Cheetos. I haven't tried the natural ones, do they taste the same? I've learned to not buy junk anymore, I just have no control. In fact, I have been packing fruit in the kids' lunches lately (I let them pick which one so I know they'll eat it) and pudding, Jello or graham crackers instead of cookies. They also get pretzels, Goldfish or Cheez-Its instead of potato chips. I keep trying to stress the importance of eating healthy so they grow up with good habits. And it helps me because I don't have to have junk in the house!

Your story reminds me of my mom. She was in a really bad car accident a few years back and I went to go help her and I decided to clean out her fridge. She had some really gross things in there. The grossest was a bottle of salad dressing that had expired 2 years before. And the worst part is that she had moved within that period - it was already expired for at least a year when she packed it up and moved it to her new house! And she can't even blame it on Alzheimers...

 

[Amy&Dan]

Thanks Amy and Tracy!
Amy: I typically don't buy any junk unless we are having company. My kids have such healthy eating habits, the one decent thing I have done with food in my life! I began having a weight problem at 9, was horribly bullied all through school and I always vowed my kids would never have to go through that. Thankfully they are both thin and love healthy eating. I bought Bugles recently (remember all my postings about those?) in small snack sized bags and guess who ate them all? My weird kids (God bless em) prefer pretzels and they love those little clementine tangerines for snacks. And string cheese. But I do buy stuff when we have company which lately has been too often. I buy the Tostitos brand Natural chips and they have cheetos. They are very cheesey but in a white natureal cheddar powder, not the nuclear orange stuff. So at least they are without preservatives. And for my big shendig on Sunday its veggies with humus for a snack. I bought 3 bags of chips and we ate two last night so there's only one left and its not being replinshed, sorry folks! And my mom also had some pretty old salad dressing )2005 exp. date) but not two years at least!

Tracy: Thanks for your kind words. I did get an email that my pm box was full, guess its time to do some cleaning! I am soooo ready for vacation although now flying is not high on my list of want-to-do's! Oh well, as Dan said last night, better to bite the dust on the way to or from vacation than from a stress induced heart attack at home! We are both stressed to the max, he is having one thing after another at work as usual and we are ready to relax on the Magic! We postponed this trip twice, looks like we are finally going to make it! How's things with you?

Yesterday I was crazy busy again. I took my mom to get her hair done. She has to have this done every darn week and it takes two hours out of my day. I don't do it that often thankfully but yesterday was not a good day because running her across town for hair do purposes irritated me and put me behind schedule and kept me from working out. My brother and his wife were here and I was really trying to get the house shaped up and my son had registration for his first year of middle school. Dan had to take him to do that since I had to take my mom but I had filled out all the forms, made out the checks for the fee's etc. So it was a team effort. Food was okay, not great but considering it was a family dinner I did better than I could have. And I have not been drinking lately. I decided that when I drink, I overeat more and I am saving that for the cruise. I had a few drinks when we had friends over the third weekend in July but basically haven't had a drop of the good stuff since!

Breakfast: Orange
Lunch: Burger King kid's cheeseburger meal, ate only half the fries and a diet coke.
Dinner: chips and salsa (about 3 oz. of chips), two small pieces of pizza, two cups of salad with lowfat dressing and one piece of "Hello Dolly". Thats also known as a seven layer bar but being from Texas we don't call it that. Its very rich so I had one piece and enjoyed it but no more.
Water was about 64 oz. and also had one half of a diet coke and 32 oz. of caffeine free iced tea.
Exercise none except I did clean all day. Sometimes I count that towards 30 minutes of exercise but think I won't this time. It might get too easy for me to stop walking and just count cleaning only so I am only allowing that once a week and I did that on Tuesday so no more for awhile!

 

[SunFloridaDisney]

Amy, you've been busy and had lots of things going on, people visiting etc.
Just hang in there!!

For me, instead of Cheetos it would be Fritos chili cheese. LOVE those, and I really have to talk myself out of buying them at times.

My kids love snacky junk, but I've pretty much stopped buying it, and encourage cheese and fruit instead. Popcorn too, they eat a lot of that. My youngest DD is starting 6th grade as well, they officially go back on the 22nd, but she has a orientation day for junior high on Tuesday. She's excited about the locker, the new teachers, etc.

Have a nice weekend!

 

[Amy&Dan]

Thanks Kate, how funny that our kids are starting 6th grade the same day! My son is really excited, he too thinks having a locker will be cool. Personally, given my experieces in middle school I am dreading it! But hopefully he will have a better time of it.

This weekend has been so hard and so busy. Just constantly being with family. I get one dinner planned, cooked and cleaned up and then its time for another one! I have really been doing pretty well with food. Its TOM so thats probably causing me to hold about 5 pounds of water. I know I am not weighing in this week at WW, my daughter has a class on Wednesday morning and I can't get to my meeting on time. Guess I'll weigh at home and see what the damage is. I have been eating lots of fresh fruit since both my kids and nieces love that and also some fresh veggies and salads. Today is our last day with my brother. Its been so much fun but I have to say I am ready to get back to a routine. For two weeks at least and then its our cruise. Which I am so excited for yet also dreading because of what we are spending moneywise and knowing how much food will be available. Also, I think its that thing where we have anticipated this for over a year and now that its here I am also bummed because now I won't have it to look forward to! I am such a nut. And we also are toying with cancelling our December WDW trip. I have made little progress on paying that package off and given our expenses lately just realize we need to start doing better with money. We have until October 31 to pay it off. I really want to go, in some ways I am more excited about that than the cruise. And I would hate to dissapoint my kids. So we'll probably go provided we have no more unexpected expenses!

Food has been okay, not great and I have not been tracking. I did manage to get 30 minutes on the treadmill on Friday and on Saturday, we went to a water park and I am counting 60 minutes for that. I did some water walking, and the lazy river was a great upper body work out. Also just truding around from thing to thing. So I am adding 90 minutes of exercise for the weekend. Tomrrow I am really going to hit it. We leave on the 30th and I wanted to be at 35 pounds so badly but know I can not make that now. Oh well. Thanks for reading!

 

[toystoryduo]

Hi Amy~

I'm giving you a gentle today. I know all too well about the work related stress thing. I am keeping you and Dan and your family in my prayers.

When would you be going to WDW in December? I'm wondering if we would be there at the same time? We are scheduled to leave WDW on December 15th. How about you?

I think that this cruise is going to be just the vacation that your family needs. Relax and enjoy the Disney magic!

Amy...keep holding your head up high. God knows what you are going through. He will give you the strength you need to get through each day. I am praying for His abundant blessings to cover you and your family!

Have a great day,Amy!

 

[traceycooper]

I'm so jealous you are going on the Magic, we went in 2004 it was fantastic, everytime i price it up to go back its too expensive!!!
I know what you mean about having nothing to look forward to too!! I am a planner hate have nothing to plan for!
Hope you get your December trip
Tracey xx

 

[lovinaz]

Wow, you have been a busy bee! Just think of how nice that cruise is going to be. Don't worry about the food. I can tell you a couple tips that I used on my cruise:

1) Avoid the buffet (we always ate a sit-down breakfast)
2) Skip big lunch (I'd get fresh fruit and maybe a salad or wrap)
3) Only drink cocktails with dinner
4) Take the stairs EVERYWHERE you go!

You are going to do great, remember there is a fitness center there if you get the urge to work out! The main part is to RELAX and enjoy yourself. And if you eat too much, WHO CARES, you can get back into the swing of things when you come back! I hope you get to go to WDW in December. what fun! My kids are bugging us to go on another Disney cruise. They kinda don't get the whole "expensive" idea of it all...

 

[goldcupmom]

Hang in there, Amy! You've been doing so well with all you have had going on. Just keep focusing on the cruise and RELAXATION!!!

Have a great rest of the week!